Spence vs Garcia: IBF Title Fight is Set For March 16th

On March 16th at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas, Errol Spence Jr. vs Mikey Garcia will square off for the International Boxing Federation World Welterweight Title. This primetime fight will feature two of the pound for pound greatest boxers in the sport today. Both fighters were featured in the Sports Illustrated top-10 Pound-for-Pound boxing rankings in December.

The highly anticipated showdown between Spence Jr. and Garcia is the signature fight of the Premier Boxing Champions schedule in the early stages of 2019. This IBF Title fight will be the only fight to air on PPV and it is drawing lots of buzz at a quickening rate.

Spence Jr., the undefeated 24-0-0 welterweight champion, comes into this bout looking to defend his title against the hungry challenger. Mikey Garcia comes into the fight with a stellar record of 39-0-0 and he has won an unprecedented four-division titles in his career. Garcia began his climb in the featherweight division but has also been crowned champion in the super featherweight, light welterweight, and lightweight divisions.

Garcia surprised spectators and analysts alike when he made the decision to jump two weight classes specifically to fight Errol Spence Jr. The fight against the welterweight champ is his next stepping stone to earning the title of best pound for pound boxer in the world.

The first two title defense for Spence Jr. were a breeze and he only fought a total of eight rounds in two fights last year. One of title defenses for Spence Jr. came against Carlos Ocampo and the bout quickly ended after the first bell rang. The southpaw landed a vicious body blow on Ocampo which knocked him to the canvas. Spence Jr. was victorious before the conclusion of round one.

Powering shots to the body are Spence Jr.’s specialty and he is arguably the most intimidating fighter of anyone in the welterweight division. His attack of blistering body blows almost always ends the fight in the early stages and he rarely must go the distance in a bout. In his last six fights, all but one has finished by the 7th round.

However, the title defense against the former four-division champ is sure to be his most challenging oneyet. Even though Garcia is a challenger who has never been defeated, Spence Jr. is still the overwhelming favorite to win the fight on his home turf. His tenacity and power in the ring have proven to be unmatched by any opponent to date.

Garcia has proven to be one of the most skilled boxers in the sport today and he has a knack for delivering powerful knockout punches in his own right. He has gone the distance more times than Spence Jr. so it appears he will have an endurance advantage. In the process of taking fights to the finish more frequently, Garcia has crafted his technique and improved his fundamentals. He has become excellent at surveying an opponent’s weaknesses and finding the opportune moment to strike. This skill could prove to be a life saver against Errol Spence Jr.

Many boxing experts and former fighters have delivered their two cents on the fight and the outcome they expect. The odds are heavily in the favor of Spence Jr. to retain the title and that Garcia will have to be more than perfect to win his 5th division title.